Former President Donald Trump slammed a handful of House Republicans after an amendment that would have defunded criminal prosecutions of presidential candidates fizzled in a close vote.
The former president’s ire stemmed from Rep. Andrew Clyde’s amendment that died Tuesday during committee considerations of the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies spending bill this week. Mr. Clyde’s add-on would have barred federal and state funding for the prosecution of any presidential candidate prior to November’s election.
Mr. Trump noted in a Truth Social post on Friday that Mr. Clyde, Georgia Republican, tipped him off to the failed amendment vote.
He singled out Rep. Mike Simpson, Idaho Republican, as the sole Republican lawmaker who voted no and blamed a handful of other Republicans absent from the committee vote for the amendment’s breakdown.
“It lost by only one vote because one Republican, Mike Simpson of Idaho, stupidly voted NO,” Mr. Trump said on Truth Social. “And two ‘Republicans,’ David Valadao of California and Dan Newhouse of Washington, the only two remaining Impeachers in the House of President Donald J. Trump, didn’t show up to vote.”
Mr. Simpson said in a statement after the vote that while he believed that the charges and trials against Mr. Trump were politically motivated and “utter nonsense,” he was concerned about other implications that the amendment could have.
“I am grateful the Supreme Court has acted as a balancing force against the Democrats’ weaponization of the judicial system,” Mr. Simpson said. “However, prohibiting the use of funds for investigations sets a dangerous precedent — potentially limiting Republicans’ ability to investigate President Biden’s wrongdoings. For that reason, I could not support this amendment.”
Mr. Trump faces federal trials over allegations he hoarded classified documents after leaving office — a move in which he contends he’s protected by the Presidential Records Act — and that he tried to overturn the 2020 election that he says was rigged.
Mr. Trump is also facing trial in Georgia under a sprawling 2020 election interference case and has been convicted of 34 felony charges as part of his business-record case in New York.
Regarding Tuesday’s committee vote, Mr. Trump wasn’t happy that Reps. Mike Garcia of California, Juan Ciscomani of Arizona and David Joyce of Ohio were absent.
Mr. Clyde blamed the absences for his amendment’s failure and vowed to bring it back when the spending bill comes to the House floor for a vote later this month.
“Hopefully, House Republicans will be united in eliminating taxpayer-funded political persecution,” Mr. Clyde said in a statement. “The American people and President Trump are counting on us to act — so let’s get it
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
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